Without You- a Gruvia Fairy Tail fanfic
by Ms.KClare
Summary: "You made the rain go away, Gray-sama. But he filled Juvia's life with sunshine..." When Gray realized what he was missing and what he truly wanted. The hard way. (Gray X Juvia X Lyon)


**Moshi-moshi ****_minna_****-****_san_****! I'm super glad that I can write about my third fav couple in FT (after NaLu and Jerza). I wrote this in utter frustration after reading chapter 334 of the manga. This will be a simple one-shot and a sad-but-fluffy-as-ever story. And yeah; I've considered your grammar corrections to my previous story and implemented them in this one, Rhov-****_san_****. Thanks to all the other reviewers and silent readers of my previous fanfic. I love you all! I hope you enjoy my second venture. Love ya for reading.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own FT or its characters. Obvious, isn't it? I'm sucky and Mashima –sensei's the awesomest human being ever. T_T **

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Prologue

_It was murky and frigidly cold outside. But it felt much overcast and frosty, and much more painful in Gray Fullbuster's heart. Her words panged in his heart; wrenched and stabbed him like no pain ever could._

_"Thank you, Gray-sama. You gave Juvia the experience of being in love. But he gave Juvia the experience of being loved. You made the rain go away, but he filled Juvia's life with sunshine."_

_And she held his hands, gave him a poignant smile and turned around to face Lyon Vastia. His face bore a small frown._

_"You sure 'bout thus Juvia?"_

_Juvia Lockser simply nodded and held his hand. She looked back at Gray with a rueful expression, but he had turned around and looked away. She sighed, did the same and walked silently with Lyon down the snowy path of the park._

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It had all started during the Grand Magic Games. Erza had talked to Gray one night about Juvia. After she left, Gray had looked at the silver moon in the sky and thought about Juvia. The time they first met. Sure, he found her cute- but he had never _like_ liked her. But she adored him and worshipped him. And he never understood. He thought about how he felt something tug at his heart when Lyon openly declared his love for Juvia. For some reason, it felt strange. He had felt a sense of possessiveness over her. There was a never ending reverberation playing in his mind when he saw Lyon flirting with Juvia. It kept saying- _"Juvia is ours…She is ours.."_

He always translated this inner voice as saying that she belonged to Fairy Tail. But on the night Erza talked to him, he realized that it was _his _inner want. It was _his _desire. She was _his._ He felt stupid and had scolded himself for feeling so possessive. But now, he was sure. He realized what he truly felt. He realized that—that he loved Juvia.

He felt odd- for in reality, he was as clued-up and as educated about women as Natsu was. In a simple statement, he was a dud when it came to women and romance. This was one of the reasons why he never noticed Juvias undying affection for him. Still, he decided to tell Juvia. It was an awkward and unsuitable place to chose, but he still walked up to Juvia in the middle of the battle against the dragons.

"Juvia, there is something I have to tell you."

She had looked at him with a lot of expectation in her eyes and gushed; for a reason unknown to him. Suddenly, everything after that had seemed like a blur and he felt a strange aura about him. Ultear had brought time back by a minute. And that moment was forgotten forever. Five months after the battle, peace had been restored in Magnolia. One morning as Gray was walking to the guild, he had a strange feeling in his gut. He walked a bit faster to the guild. When he reached it, he heard an ominous silence. Worried, he slammed open the door and there was Lyon-down on one knee and with a rose in his hand. He was facing a visibly embarrassed Juvia who was looking down at him. The whole guild was staring, awestricken. After Gray burst in, all eyes fell on him. Juvia looked at him expectantly and then down at Lyon, as if asking Gray to save her. Lyon turned to Juvia and said in his funny, dreamy way-

"Please be my girlfriend, Juvia-_chan_!"

Gray was astounded. He wanted to walk over to Lyon and pound him. He felt like punching him right in the face and make him swallow all his teeth. He wanted to lift Juvia bridal-style and ask her to be _his_ girlfriend. But he didn't. He couldn't. He didn't deserve her. All he had ever done was ignore her love and now that she got it from Lyon, he couldn't just get jealous and claim her as if he owned her. It was not fair. He was being selfish. His heart pained, but this was the bitter truth.

So all he did was shrug and walk over to the bar. He asked a confused Mira for a treble whiskey and downed it in one shot. He turned around in his stool, only to see the entire guild, still quiet, watching him. He frowned and asked,

"What?!"

Juvia gawked at him in disbelief. She stomped two steps towards him and opened her mouth to say something. All that came out was a hoarse and inaudible whisper. Her chest was heaving up and down as she shook her head in frustration. No one had ever seen Juvia acting this way before. She was usually very calm and always acted respectfully in front of Gray. She looked at Lyon and helped him stand. Nobody noticed the tear that streamed down her cheek as she smiled at him.

"Thank you, Lyon-san….and yes; Juvia shall gladly be your girlfriend"

Lyon let out a surprised yelp and the entire guild went _" Ehhh?!"_ She threw her arms around his neck. The guild was confused because they had expected Gray to end up with Juvia, but they cheered nevertheless. The usual bustling resumed as Cana drank to the new couple, Elfman proclaimed how manly Lyon was and Mira squealed happily. The girls teased Juvia for being so bold and she blushed all along. But somehow, no body mentioned Gray though they sensed that something was wrong. Natsu scanned the hall to look for Gray and pick up a good fight. He saw him gulp down another strong drink at the bar and trudge through the guild doors. Mira shot a worried glance at Natsu, who nodded and followed Gray. He was dense alright, but he knew what was bothering his best friend.

Gray walked shirtless into the cold winter snow outside. Natsu called after him.

"Oi ice princess! Whaddup with ya?"

Gray grunted and waved his hand, absolutely wasted from the alcohol.

"Leave me alone, slanty-eyed flame brain"

He staggered slightly, but carried on walking the isolated street. Natsu walked behind him. He called out,

"You should have stopped her if you really loved her, you know"

Gray turned around, his onyx eyes fixed on Natsu. He wanted to look confused and fight him- to deny to him and the world that he loved _her._ But he felt wasted. He tried to sat something, but his voice failed him. He marched up to Natsu, pointing a threatening finger at him. But he was too drunk. He passed out and fell towards the snow but Natsu caught hold of him just in time. He plopped him over his shoulder, grumbled about how he was a nitwit and carried him to his apartment.

When Gray opened his eyes, he saw a blurred image of blue hair and big eyes looking down at him. It was Juvia. Her face was streaked with worry. He wanted to reach out his hand and place it on her cheek, but he saw Lyon. The events of the morning weighed down on him and crushed him. His blood boiled at the sight of Lyon placing a reassuring hand on _her _shoulder. He pushed his head away and looked at everyone else around him. He was in his bed in his apartment, surrounded by his closest friends in Fairy Tail. There was something that was bothering them more than Gray's current physical state. He never drank so much that he would pass out, that too early in the morning and without an occasion. No one said anything much because they knew the reason behind his odd behavior. Lucy sat next to him on his bed and gave him a small smile.

"You okay now?"

Gray nodded. He lied. He was _not_ okay. He was being eaten up on the inside. He felt like destroying everything around him except _her_. _His _Juvia. His friend tried to joke around and even bought drinks, but the air remained gloomy around Gray. Even Lyon tried to joke and cheer up Gray, but he made things worse. Gray mostly scowled at every body and stayed quietly in his bed. Juvia was unusually quiet and was visibly silent around Gray. As it became dark outside, everyone slowly left till Juvia and Lyon were the last ones remaining.

"Stay well, Gray-sama"

Was all Juvia said after she kissed lightly him on the cheek when he stood in the door way seeing them off. There was something cold and distant in her voice that immensely hurt Gray. He watched as she and Lyon walked away hand-in-hand. They walked halfway through the frozen park opposite Gray's apartment when they suddenly stopped. Lyon whispered something in Juvia's ear. She giggled and blushed. He put his arms around her waist and they kissed deeply. Something snapped inside Gray's mind on seeing this. He sprinted to where they were, caught Lyon by the neck and pinned him down on the ground. He began pounding him with hard fists right on his face as Juvia shrieked for him to stop. Lyon caught Gray's hands and wrestled him off. He was easy to subdue because his rage had blinded him. Juvia used Water Lock to stop Gray. After he calmed down, she released him and Lyon shouted, exasperated:

" What the _hell _ do you think you're doing, you freakin' idiot?"

Gray looked up at Juvia with the crazy look of a fanatic in his eyes. He ignored Lyon's question. He hissed,

"You're mine, Juvia. _I _love you. And you love _me,_ not him!"

He growled in rage. Juvia shook her head in shock and disbelief. Normally, she would've been ecstatic. But she had given up on her love for Gray. She had grown tired of obsessing over him. All her life, she had wanted love. And Lyon had given it to her, unconditionally. She said quietly,

"You made the rain go away, Gray-sama. But Lyon-san filled Juvia's heart with sunshine."

She felt heartbroken to say this to the person she once loved so deeply. But she was weary, and that morning was the breaking point. She felt guilty for using Lyon to make Gray angry. She realized that she loved Gray because he had made the rain that followed her go away. She was thankful, but had mistaken her deep feeling of gratitude for love. Gray slightly whimpered and stared blankly at her, pain throbbing in his veins. But he looked away. Her heart fell because he didn't even protest any further. She looked into Lyon's eyes lovingly. The eyes of the man who truly loved her, and the man she had come to love.

As they walked away, Gray didn't even look back. He ran away into the deep darkness as the snow pelted down on him. His eyes stung with tears as he ran blindly into the night. He felt like a nothing, a no one. His heart pained him and his head hurt. He fell in the snow and curled up in a ball. He buried himself under the cold snow. His sobs died out and there was a still silence.

The icy crystal tears continued to fall from heaven as the man let out his last breath, with the name of his love on his lips.

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Epilogue

_Gray woke up with a jolt. He noticed that he was breathing heavily and was sweating. He sat up in his bed and looked around. It was bright outside. He jumped out of his bed and cried in happiness:_

_"A nightmare, just a stupid nightmare!"_

_He grinned brightly. He ran downstairs and out into the open. It was snowing lightly outside. He stuck his tongue out and tasted a sweet snowflake that fell on his tongue. It was his favorite time of the year. He thought about his terrible nightmare and suddenly blushed. He took a deep breath of the cold air and then sprinted to the guild. People in the streets cast weird looks at him. Did he smell bad? He didn't. What then? But he didn't have time to care. His instinct was doing the thinking for him. Gray reached the guild and burst through the doors. Déjà vu? He didn't know. Lyon was there, and he was walking towards Juvia, who was sitting at a table with Lucy and Levy. Déjà vu? He couldn't care less. He ran to Juvia, stood her up and held her by the waist. She let out a surprised yelp._

_"Gray-samaaaa?!"_

_Her shriek was cut off by Gray's cool lips on hers. He pressed his lips firmly against hers and grinned as he heard Juvia whimper._

_"Gra-Gray-sam-ma-a?"_

_"I love you, Juvia! You're mine and mine alone!"_

_He cried, and Juvia fainted in his arms. The entire guild cooed and cheered happily. They cried in unison-_

_"Gray, your clothes!"_

_Gray looked down confused, and moaned. All he was wearing was a pair of boxer shorts._

_"Awwww man…."_

_Lyon watched as Gray confessed his love again to the now-revived Juvia. To say she was ecstatic and surprised was an understatement. She was crying comical tears of joy and hugging Gray, who was scarlet red now. Lyon smirked and thought,_

_"Took you long enough, eh Gray?"_

_From the bar, Mira winked and nodded at him. Mission Gruvia, accomplished._

* * *

'All it took was a day without you, to know what had been filling my empty heart.'

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**…..so? watcha think? Did you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it? I hope the characters weren't OOC and my grammar was okay. I was supposed to end it on a sad note, but I realized it would only make me feel worse about what happened in the manga. It may not be a great deal, but I was dying to know what Gray had to say to Juvia. Anyway, ****_pleeeeeaaassseee _****review! Whether you liked it, hated it or couldn't care less, please do! I love constructive criticism and 'thumbs up'-s, just so you know. Flame this and I shall find a creative ending to your life. Mwahahaa! XD**

***edit* Guys...I love you for adding this to your favorites, but leave me reviews so I know what you feel! Love it, hate it- R&R! :)**


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